New York's Forgotten Substations: The Power Behind the Subway

by Christopher J. Payne

All over New York City, hidden behind unassuming historic facades, sits the gigantic machinery of the power stations that once moved the subways. For over a century, the 125,000-pound converters and related equipment of the substations remained largely unchanged, but in 1999 the last manually operated substation was shut down and since then they have been systematically dismantled and sold as scrap. In 1997, author Christopher Payne was introduced to the substations by an official of the Metropolitan Transit Authority's Power Division. Since then, he has rushed to photograph, draw, and write the history of these amazing buildings and their machines before they are completely gone. With virtually unlimited access to the substations, he has developed an intimate bond with the buildings that most people know only in passing. His beautiful photographs and detailed drawings bring these lost treasures to life, while his illuminating text tells their fascinating story. Anyone interested in the art of industrial America or the New York subway will find this book a delight.

Genres: Photography, History, Nonfiction, Architecture

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[James]

Beautiful images and a well constructed history of subway power stations. I only wish that there was more about the current state and deconstruction of the defunct stations.

[Jill]

I never knew machinery could be so beautiful. Love the photos in this book!

[Justin Cormack]

Beautiful photos (4x5 black and white) and a fascinating story of the huge transformers and other machines before they were demolished.

[Jena]

Totally sweet. Beautiful photos, good historical detail, especially interesting reading while riding the subway to work.